Simple Chicken Tortilla Salad a (a la Bajio's/Cafe Rio)

This chicken!!!! Oh MY! Wonderful, sweet, flavorful, crock pot made, addicting chicken! We love cafe rio and/or bajio's along with the rest of the world (or at least the ut, az, id world), but alas we do not live any of those places, so we have to make do at home or do without. I choose "make do". And I call my version "simple" because I didn't make the rice or beans that normally accompany a cafe rio/bajio salad, therefore creating what is in my opinion a realistic weeknight meal. Don't get me wrong though, those rice and beans are amazing--just too much work for me during the week.

And did I mention the chicken yet?! It could be used in so very many ways: burritos, tacos, nachos, enchiladas, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. For our purposes I chose the salad route. Which meant I had to make my own cafe rio knock-off creamy tomatillo dressing. It yields about 2 cups and I'll just say 2 solid cups of dressing was gone in 2 days. Enough said.

I wouldn't call this a bone fide replica, but it is a darn good alternative! I promise you should really make it.

Simple Chicken Tortilla Salad

{Chicken recipe from Six Sisters Stuff .com}

For chicken:

4 chicken breasts

1/2 cup salsa

1 T cumin

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 4 oz can diced green chilies

6 oz can sprite

Optional: red pepper flakes (1/4 t?)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Replace shredded chicken back in crock pot and cook 1 more hour. (Optional: thicken juices with a little cornstarch mixed in water-I didn't do this.) Serve however you want, but for salad follow remaining directions below. (Good freezable options: ziploc & freeze)

Cafe Rio-ish Dressing (Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Ranch):

1 packet traditional hidden valley ranch mix-not buttermilk

1 cup mayonaise

1 cup buttermilk

2-3 tomatillos, husked, rinsed, diced

1/2 bunch of cilantro, give or take

2 cloves garlic, minced

juice of 1 lime

1 jalapeno, finely minced (may or may not choose to remove seeds)

Mix all ingredients together in blender. Simple as that. I recommend doing this awhile before it's needed to allow flavors to meld together in fridge.

Remaining Salad Ingredient Options:

Shredded romaine lettuce

Grape tomatoes, halved

Black beans, drained and rinsed

Avocado, pitted and chunked

Tortillas, either homemade or purchased raw and cooked at home. I find mine in the refrigerated section of my grocery store by the cheese, fresh pastas, etc. (Note: I don't think regular tortillas are a good candidate for this salad. Maybe if you're going the soft taco, enchilada, burrito route with the chicken, but not the salad.)

To assemble complete salad, cook tortillas. Place one tortilla on plate. Top with chicken, lettuce, other toppings and pour on that amazing dressing! Stuff your face.